Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business … · in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) (ASE20074) ... Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice

Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) (ASE20074)

Specification

First teaching from March 2012

Issue 2

Edexcel, BTEC and LCCI qualifications

Edexcel, BTEC and LCCI qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK’s largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications that are globally recognised and benchmarked. For further information, please visit our qualifications website at qualifications.pearson.com. Alternatively, you can get in touch with us using the details on our contact us page at qualifications.pearson.com/contactus

About Pearson

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This specification is Issue 2. We will inform centres of any changes to this issue. The latest issue can be found on the Pearson website: qualifications.pearson.com

References to third party material made in this specification are made in good faith. Pearson does not endorse, approve or accept responsibility for the content of materials, which may be subject to change, or any opinions expressed therein. (Material may include textbooks, journals, magazines and other publications and websites.)

All information in this specification is correct at time of publication.

ISBN 978 1 446 94502 5

All the material in this publication is copyright © Pearson Education Limited 2017

Introduction

LCCI qualifications

LCCI qualifications are widely regarded by employers to prepare students for the key functions of modern international business. The qualifications are recognised worldwide by employers, universities and professional bodies.

This qualification is not regulated by any regulatory authority in the UK. It exists on Pearson’s self-regulated framework (SRF).

Pearson LCCI offers a wide range of qualifications, which are available at Levels 1 to 4 across the following subject areas:

● English Language

● Marketing and Customer Service

● Business, Administration and IT

● Financial and Quantitative.

This specification is part of the Business, Administration and IT suite of LCCI qualifications.

Please refer to the Pearson qualification website for details of other qualifications in the suite.

Purpose of the specification

This specification sets out:

● the objectives of the qualification

● any other qualification(s) that a student must have completed before taking the qualification

● any prior knowledge and skills that a student is required to have before taking the qualification

● any other requirements that a student must have satisfied before they will be assessed or before the qualification will be awarded

● the knowledge, understanding and skills that will be assessed as part of the qualification

● the method of assessment and any associated requirements relating to it

● the criteria against which a student’s level of attainment will be measured (such as assessment criteria).

Qualification aims

The aims of the Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) qualification are to develop candidates’ knowledge and understanding of:

● the nature of economic activity and the internal and external environment and constraints in which businesses operate

● national and multinational forms of businesses and their impact on the local economy

● how businesses are functionally organised and managed in relation to corporate culture, image and identity

● the different aspects of operational and financial management of a business

● strategic planning and the frameworks, models and strategies that may be used in strategic analysis and implementation

● Business performance measurement and the frameworks and practices that may be used to improve performance.

This qualification is suitable for people who want to develop their understanding of modern business management practices in order to improve their business career opportunities and/or academic progression. It is particularly suitable for people who currently hold middle management positions in any of the functional business areas or those aspiring to such positions.

Contents

Specification at a glance 1

Knowledge, skills and understanding 3

Content 3

Assessment 17

Assessment summary 17

Aims of assessment 19

Entry and assessment information 20

Student entry 20

Combinations of entry 20

Resitting the qualification 20

Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration 21

Equality Act 2010 and the Pearson equality policy 22

Malpractice 23

Language of assessment 24

Other information 25

Guided Learning Hours (GLH) 25

Student recruitment 25

Prior learning and other requirements 25

Progression 26

Codes 26

Support, training and resources 27

Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) Specification – Issue 2 – July 2017 © Pearson Education Limited 2017

1

Specification at a glance

The Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) consists of one externally examined paper.

Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ)

● Externally assessed 100% of the total qualification

Overview of content topics

1 Business and its Environment

2 Business Organisation, Management and Culture

3 Operational and Financial Management in Business

4 Introduction to Business Strategy and Planning

5 Measuring and Improving Business Performance

Overview of assessment

● One written, externally-set and marked paper, contributing 100% of the overall grade of the qualification.

● The examination will be 2 hours, 30 minutes.

● The examination will consist of 100 marks.

● This examination consists of five questions of 20 marks each, covering all five topic areas in this specification. Candidates must answer all five questions. Questions will be presented in the form of a business situation, problem or issue with a number of tasks to be completed.

● Candidates will be graded Pass/Merit/Distinction. A result of Fail will be recorded where candidates do not achieve the required marks for a Pass.

● The examination is available in all three series sittings as well as on demand.

Coverage of content topic areas in the examination

The written examination will cover the content topic areas as follows:

Topic areas Approximate weighting of topic areas within examination

1. Business and its Environment 20%

2. Business Organisation, Management and Culture

25%

3. Operational and Financial Management

20%

4. Introduction to Business Strategy and Planning

15%

5. Measuring and Improving Business Performance

20%


2


Answer Format

Candidates are required to provide answers in the form of short notes, diagrams or charts, bullet points or short paragraphs. Some questions may ask for relevant examples to be provided. Appropriate business language should be used and any relevant charts or diagrams should be properly labelled.

Mark Allocation

A positive marking approach is used. Marks are not deducted for spelling or grammatical errors.

Candidate Performance Measurement

Successful candidates will be awarded the Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) based on the achievement of the marks and grades below:

Pass 50%, Merit 60%, Distinction 75%

Recommended Reading List and Support Material

Reading List

EDI — Level 3 Business Principles and Practice Student Revision Book (EDI)

Helen Coupland Smith et al — AQA Business Studies AS & A2 (Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2009) ISBN-13: 9780748798476

B Brindley and M Buckley — Business Studies: A-Level Study Guide (Pearson Education, 2000) ISBN-10: 0582431751

D Hall, R Jones, C Raffo, A Anderton, I Chambers, & D Gray — Business Studies, 4th Edition (Causeway Press, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405892315

S Jakubowski — How to Pass Business Practice, Third Level (LCCI Examinations Board, 1999) ISBN-10: 1862470804

Support Material

A sample paper and answers are available on the qualification page of the Pearson website (qualifications.pearson.com/lcci). The Student Revision Book, as stated in the reading list, will also be available for download from the qualification page of the website.


3

Knowledge, skills and understanding

Content

The following content must be covered to prepare students for the final assessment of this qualification.

1. Business and its Environment

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

1 Understand the nature of economic activity

a) Describe the main features of a competitive market economy

Features include: economic freedom, economic incentive, competition, demand and supply, private ownership, limited government intervention, profit motive

Includes implicit and explicit costs

b) Define the term ‘opportunity cost’

c) Explain how choice and opportunity cost affects economic activity

2 Understand how business objectives affect decision-making and business activities

a) Discuss the role of business objectives in the planning and decision-making process

SMART targets

Impact on marketing, customer service, business processes, corporate culture, community relations and human resource management

b) Explain how business objectives impact on organisational targets and budgets

c) Explain how corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a business objective affects business activities


4

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

3 Understand how the interests of the major stakeholder groups influence business activity

a) Explain why businesses need to be accountable to stakeholders

Stakeholder groups include: shareholders/owners, employees, customers, suppliers, local community, government, financial institutions, etc.

b) Compare and contrast the competing interests of the major stakeholder groups

c) Identify appropriate business strategies to meet the needs and interests of the major stakeholder groups

4 Understand the role of government in promoting and controlling business activity

a) Explain why and how the government may seek to influence the level of business activity

How government influence: taxation, spending, laws and regulation, subsidies, interest rates, trade policy Consequences include: Impact on demand, supply, cost and business growth

b) Discuss the possible consequences of government economic policies on business organisations

5 Understand how changes in the business environment impact on businesses

a) Describe the factors influencing the internal and external business environment

Factors affecting internal environment: business processes, technological capacity, organisational culture;, management structure, financial management, human resources, mission and objectives

Factors affecting external: sociocultural (values, attitudes and demographics), political and legal, economic, global influences Economic conditions includes: standard of living, inflation, economic growth, exchange rates

b) Explain how changes in economic conditions affect the business


5

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

c) Discuss the external considerations and constraints on business activities in a range of different contexts

Cultural and ethical considerations and constraints Examples of corporate responsibility: sponsoring community projects, ethical behaviour, environmental sustainability, charitable donations

Access to wider market, increase in competition, opportunities for cost reductions, development of management information systems (MIS)

d) Provide examples of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and explain its importance in a competitive business environment.

e) Explain how current developments in information and communications technology (ICT) impact upon business activities

6 Understand the influence of the global economy on the business

a) Describe the characteristics of the global economy

Characteristics: multinational trading, foreign exchange, international mobility of capital and labour Impact on: marketing activities; cultural considerations; competitive pressure to reduce cost, improve quality and business performance

b) Discuss the influence of the global market on business operations and practices

c) Explain how the global economy influences the size, location, management and structure of business organisations


6


Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

1 Understand the nature of national and multinational types of business ownership and their impact on the local economy

a) Discuss the reasons why business activity may be conducted by the government/state

Social, economic, strategic and political reasons Benefits: job opportunities, foreign exchange, tax revenue for government, training and skill development, economic growth

Disadvantages: overdependence on foreign investment, influence on government policies, possible exploitation of local resources

b) Describe the features of a:

● ‘multinational corporation’

● ‘franchise’

c) Discuss the benefits and disadvantages a multinational corporation may bring to a country

2 Understand the nature of organisational structures and the factors to be considered when choosing a structure

a) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the main types of organisational structures

Main structures include: functional, hierarchical, matrix

Includes producing appropriate organisational charts to depict different structures and features as required

b) Explain each of the following features of formal organisational structures:

● levels of hierarchy

● chain of command

● span of control

● responsibility and authority

● delegation and accountability


7

Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

c) Evaluate the factors to be considered in selecting an appropriate organisational structure for a business

Factors include: flexibility, the needs of the business, corporate culture, business strategy

3 Understand the role of leadership and motivation as functions of management

a) Explain the difference between strategic, operational and administrative management

Main styles: democratic, participative, laissez-faire, autocratic

Including the diagram of the Hierarchy of Needs

Financial motivators: wages and salaries, bonuses, performance-related pay, share option, fringe benefits, profit sharing

Non-financial motivators: training, induction, opportunities for promotion, job enrichment, job rotation, job security, teamwork, empowerment, etc.

b) Compare and contrast the three main leadership styles

c) Explain the importance of motivation as a function of management

d) Explain Maslow’s theory of motivation and how it may be applied in motivating staff

e) Assess the effectiveness of different types of financial and non-financial motivators in a specific context.


8

Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

4 Understand the concepts of corporate culture, corporate image and corporate identity

a) Explain what is meant by corporate culture and the importance of corporate culture

Factors include: mission statement, stakeholder influence, management style

b) Describe how different factors influence the development of corporate culture

c) Distinguish between corporate image and corporate identity

d) Describe ways in which a business can create a corporate image and identity

e) Explain the importance of a positive corporate image in a competitive business environment


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3. Operational and Financial Management of Business

Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

1 Understand the different methods of production and the importance of quality control in the production process

a) Describe the main methods of production and the situations where each is most appropriate

Advantages and disadvantages of each method of production: job, batch, flow, mass customization

Methods include: TQM, inspection, testing, random sampling

b) Explain the importance of quality assurance and control in the production process

c) Evaluate different methods of quality assurance and control

2 Understand how technology and the scale of operations affect efficiency and effectiveness in business operations

a) Explain the difference between ‘effectiveness’ and ‘efficiency’

Internal economies of scale: purchasing, technical, financial, marketing, managerial

External economies of scale: improved transport and communication links, availability of training and education, growth in supporting industries Diseconomies include: poor communication, lack of motivation, loss of direction and control, slow response time, possible public and government opposition, complacency

b) Explain the importance of economies of scale to businesses

c) Explain the difference between ‘internal economies of scale’ and ‘external economies of scale’

d) Describe the different types of internal and external economies of scale and provide examples

e) Describe the diseconomies of scale that a large business may face


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Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

f) Describe how improvements in technology affect the production process, e.g. CAD, CAM, automation.

CAD: computer-aided design CAM: computer-aided manufacture

3 Understand the relationship between the sources of finance and the nature and needs of the business

a) Explain the meaning of working capital and its importance as a source of finance

Sources of finance: overdraft, trade credit, bank loans, invoice discounting, share capital, leasing, venture capital

b) Explain why different sources of finance may be appropriate in different circumstances

4 Understand the nature of, and the need for accurate financial records in businesses

a) Explain why businesses need to keep accurate financial records

b) Explain the difference between ‘financial accounting’ and ‘management accounting’

c) Describe the information provided by the income statement (trading, profit and loss account) and how this information may be used

d) Describe the information provided by the balance sheet and how this information may be used

e) Describe the information provided by a cash flow statement and how this information may be used


11

Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

f) Describe how each of the following ratios is used in assessing the financial position of a business:

● current ratio/ working capital ratio

● acid test ratio

● gross profit as a percentage of sales

● net profit as a percentage of sales


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Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

1 Understand the concept of strategy and strategic planning

a) Explain the purpose of strategic planning

b) Explain the difference between ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’

2 Understand the various frameworks and models used in internal and external strategic analysis

a) Explain the purpose of strategic analysis in the planning process

STEEPLE = Social, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political, Legal, Ethical

PEST = Political, Economic, Social, Technological

SWOT= Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Five forces: threat of new industry entrants, threat of substitute products, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, intensity of rivalry between competitors

Diagram including: Cash cow, problem child/question mark, star, dog

b) Explain the difference between internal and external strategic analysis

c) Describe how each of the following techniques is used in business environment analysis:

● STEEPLE/PEST

● SWOT

● competitor analysis

d) Undertake and interpret STEEPLE/PEST and SWOT analyses in given situations

e) Describe the elements in Porter’s Five Force Analysis

f) Explain the usefulness of Porter’s Five Forces Analysis in the development of business strategies

g) Describe the features of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix


13

Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

3 Understand how the Ansoff Matrix is used in strategic choice and decision making

a) Describe the features of the Ansoff Matrix

Diagram including: market penetration, market development, product development, diversification

b) Explain how the Ansoff Matrix analyses the link between business strategy and risk

c) Use the Ansoff Matrix to evaluate and select different business strategies in given situations

4 Understand the process of implementing strategy and the factors affecting the effectiveness of implementation

a) Describe the main components of a business plan

Components are: background information, business objectives, market research and marketing plan, resource implications, financial statements and targets

Leadership, organisational structure and culture, motivation, resources

Participative and consultative management, target setting and monitoring, change agents, decentralisation

b) Explain the importance of mission statements and business objectives in the planning process

c) Explain the factors that may affect the effectiveness of strategy implementation

d) Explain the importance of leading and managing strategic change

e) Describe management strategies that may be used to successfully implement and manage strategic change


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Topic 5. Measuring and Improving Business Performance

Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

1 Understand the nature of business performance measurement and its importance

a) State reasons why it is important to measure business performance

Key characteristics of KPIs, examples of KPIs for different businesses/ functional areas

SMART targets

b) Explain how Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help in performance measurement

c) Explain the contribution of target setting to the performance measurement process

2 Understand the measures that may be used in a performance measurement system

a) Explain the difference between ‘financial’ and ‘non-financial’ performance measures

Financial performance indicators: profitability, liquidity and solvency, debt collection period, inventory turnover, bad debts

Non-financial performance indicators: human resource development; leadership effectiveness; customer satisfaction, retention and growth; product/service quality and innovation; brand image and reputation; labour turnover rate; absenteeism rate

b) Describe a range of key financial performance measures/indicators

c) Describe a range of non-financial performance measures/indicators

d) Explain the difference between ‘leading’ and ‘lagging’ performance measures, giving examples


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Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

3 Understand the models that may be used in performance measurement and improvement systems and their usefulness to a business

a) Describe the Balanced Scorecard framework

Diagram including the four perspectives: financial, internal business process, learning and growth, customer

Principles: customer focus and feedback (internal and external), leadership, involvement of all staff, process approach, continual improvement

b) Explain why the Balance Scorecard framework is an important tool in measuring business performance

c) Describe the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM)

d) Explain how an effective Total Quality Management (TQM) system can impact on the performance of a business

4 Understand the different practices by which business performance can be improved

a) Describe how a range of management and business practices can be used to improve business performance

Staff development and training, multi-skilling, good customer service, teamwork, benchmarking

b) Explain the difference

between monitoring and forecasting as applied to business performance

5 Understand the role and importance of management information in monitoring business performance

a) Explain the functions of a management information system (MIS)

Difference between data and information

b) Analyse how management information can assist in decision making and improving business performance


16

Learning Outcomes

The learner will:

Assessment criteria

The learner can:

Indicative content

6 Understand the contribution of managers, teams and the individual to business performance

a) Discuss the advantages of organising staff into work groups and teams

Willingness to participate; personal development/ effectiveness, good customer service skills, empowerment

360 degree appraisals

b) Identify the ways in which an individual can contribute towards the achievement of business targets and objectives

c) Discuss the advantages of staff appraisal for the individual and the manager


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Assessment

Assessment summary


Number of series: 2, 3 and 4 and On demand

Overview of content topics

1 Business and its Environment

2 Business Organisation, Management and Culture

3 Operational and Financial Management in Business

4 Introduction to Business Strategy and Planning

5 Measuring and Improving Business Performance

Overview of assessment

● One written, externally-set and marked paper, contributing 100% of the overall grade of the qualification.

● The examination will be 2 hours, 30 minutes.

● The examination will consist of 100 marks.

● This examination consists of five questions of 20 marks each, covering all five topic areas in this specification. Candidates must answer all five questions. Questions will be presented in the form of a business situation, problem or issue with a number of tasks to be completed.

● Candidates will be graded Pass/Merit/Distinction. A result of Fail will be recorded where candidates do not achieve the required marks for a Pass.

● The examination is available in all three Series sittings as well as on demand.

Coverage of content topic areas in the examination

The written examination will cover the content topic areas as follows:

Topic areas Approximate weighting of topic areas within examination

1. Business and its Environment 20%


25%

3. Operational and Financial Management

20%


15%

5. Measuring and Improving Business Performance

20%


18


Answer Format

Candidates are required to provide answers in the form of short notes, diagrams or charts, bullet points or short paragraphs. Some questions may ask for relevant examples to be provided. Appropriate business language should be used and any relevant charts or diagrams should be properly labelled.

Mark Allocation

A positive marking approach is used. Marks are not deducted for spelling or grammatical errors.

Candidate Performance Measurement

Successful candidates will be awarded the Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) based on the achievement of the marks and grades below:

Pass 50%, Merit 60%, Distinction 75%

Recommended Reading List and Support Material

Reading List

EDI — Level 3 Business Principles and Practice Student Revision Book (EDI)

Helen Coupland Smith et al — AQA Business Studies AS & A2 (Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2009) ISBN-13: 9780748798476

B Brindley and M Buckley — Business Studies: A-Level Study Guide (Pearson Education, 2000) ISBN-10: 0582431751

D Hall, R Jones, C Raffo, A Anderton, I Chambers, & D Gray — Business Studies, 4th Edition (Causeway Press, 2008) ISBN-10: 1405892315

S Jakubowski — How to Pass Business Practice, Third Level (LCCI Examinations Board, 1999) ISBN-10: 1862470804

Support Material

A sample paper and answers are available on the qualification page of the Pearson website (qualifications.pearson.com/lcci). The Student Revision Book, as stated in the reading list, will also be available for download from the qualification page of the website.


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Aims of assessment

The examination will assess the candidate’s ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The nature of economic activity and how the internal and external environment and constraints influence business activities

• The features of national and multinational forms of businesses and their disadvantages and benefits to the local economy

• The different types of formal organisational structures and the role of leadership and motivation as functions of management

• The concept and importance of corporate culture, image and identity and how businesses may influence and develop them

• The different methods of production and quality control and how technology and the scale of operations impact on business efficiency and effectiveness

• The need for different sources of finance and the types of financial records that will be kept by a business

• Strategy, strategic planning and the use of techniques and frameworks such as PEST, SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces Analysis, Boston Consulting Group Matrix and Ansoff Matrix in strategic analysis and decision making

• The importance of measuring business performance and how KPIs and target setting contribute to the process

• The use of financial and non-financial performance measures, and frameworks and systems such as the Balanced Scorecard, TQM and MIS in improving business performance.


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Entry and assessment information

Please see the Pearson Information Manual and the Pearson LCCI examination regulations, available from our website: qualifications.pearson.com/lcci

Student entry

Details on how to enter students for the examination for this qualification can be found on our website: qualifications.pearson.com/lcci

The closing date for entries is approximately six weeks before the start of each examination series. Centres should refer to the published examination timetable for examination dates.

Combinations of entry

There are no forbidden combinations of entry for this qualification.

Resitting the qualification

Candidates can resist the examination for the Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ).

It is strongly advised that candidates do not register to undertake a resit until they have received the results from their previous examination.


21

Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration

Access arrangements

Access arrangements are agreed before an assessment. They allow students with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to:

● access the assessment

● Show what they know and can do without changing the demands of the assessment.

The intention behind an access arrangement is to meet the particular needs of an individual student with a disability, without affecting the integrity of the assessment. Access arrangements are the principal way in which awarding bodies comply with the duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’.

Access arrangements should always be processed at the start of the course. Students will then know what is available and have the access arrangement(s) in place for assessment.

Reasonable adjustments

The Equality Act 2010 requires an awarding organisation to make reasonable adjustments where a person with a disability would be at a substantial disadvantage in undertaking an assessment. The awarding organisation is required to take reasonable steps to overcome that disadvantage.

A reasonable adjustment for a particular person may be unique to that individual and therefore might not be in the list of available access arrangements.

Whether an adjustment will be considered reasonable will depend on a number of factors, which will include:

● the needs of the student with the disability

● the effectiveness of the adjustment

● the cost of the adjustment; and

● the likely impact of the adjustment on the student with the disability and other students.

An adjustment will not be approved if it involves unreasonable costs to the awarding organisation, or affects timeframes or the security or integrity of the assessment. This is because the adjustment is not ‘reasonable’.


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Special consideration

Special consideration is a post-examination adjustment to a student's mark or grade to reflect temporary injury, illness or other indisposition at the time of the examination/assessment, which has had, or is reasonably likely to have had, a material effect on a candidate’s ability to take an assessment or demonstrate their level of attainment in an assessment.

Further information

Please see our website or email [email protected] for further information on how to apply for access arrangements and special consideration.

For further information about access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special consideration please refer to the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) website: www.jcq.org.uk/examination-system/ access-arrangements-and-special-consideration

Equality Act 2010 and the Pearson equality policy

Equality and fairness are central to our work. Our equality policy requires all students to have equal opportunity to access our qualifications and assessments, and our qualifications to be awarded in a way that is fair to every student.

We are committed to making sure that:

● students with a protected characteristic (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) are not, when they are undertaking one of our qualifications, disadvantaged in comparison to students who do not share that characteristic

● All students achieve the recognition they deserve for undertaking a qualification and that this achievement can be compared fairly to the achievement of their peers.

You can find details on how to make adjustments for students with protected characteristics in the policy document Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations, which is on our website, qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/special-requirements.html.


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Malpractice

Cases of alleged, suspected or confirmed malpractice must be dealt with in accordance with the latest Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) General and Vocational Qualifications Suspected Malpractice in Examinations and Assessments Policies and Procedures, available on the JCQ website: www.jcq.org.uk

Pearson cares greatly about the integrity of its qualifications and is aware that incidents of malpractice threaten that integrity, adversely affect learners and undermine public confidence in the delivery and awarding of qualifications. For this reason, Pearson takes malpractice incidents extremely seriously and investigates all allegations it receives as fully as possible. Where malpractice is proven Pearson will impose appropriate penalties and/or sanctions on those found to be responsible, which can include debarment from delivery of Pearson qualifications (for staff) and disqualification (for learners).

Candidate malpractice

Candidate malpractice refers to any act by a candidate that compromises or seeks to compromise the process of assessment or which undermines the integrity of the qualifications or the validity of results/certificates.

Candidate malpractice in examinations must be reported to Pearson using a JCQ M1 Form (available at www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/malpractice). The form can be emailed to [email protected] or posted to Investigations Team, Pearson, 190 High Holborn, London,

WC1V 7BH. Please provide as much information and supporting documentation as possible. The final decision regarding appropriate sanctions lies with Pearson.

Failure to report malpractice constitutes staff or centre malpractice.

Staff/centre malpractice

Staff and centre malpractice includes both deliberate malpractice and maladministration of Pearson qualifications. As with candidate malpractice, staff and centre malpractice is any act that compromises or seeks to compromise the process of assessment or which undermines the integrity of the qualifications or the validity of results/certificates.

All cases of alleged or suspected staff malpractice and maladministration must be reported immediately, before any investigation is undertaken by the centre, to Pearson on a JCQ M2(a) Form (available at: www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/malpractice). The form, supporting documentation


24

and as much information as possible can be emailed to [email protected] or posted to Investigations Team, Pearson, 190 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BH. The final decision regarding appropriate sanctions lies with Pearson.

Failure to report malpractice itself constitutes malpractice. More detailed guidance on malpractice can be found on our website at

http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/exams/examination-guidance/malpractice-and-plagiarism.html and in the latest version of the JCQ General and Vocational Qualifications Suspected Malpractice in Examinations and Assessments Policies and Procedures, available at: www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/malpractice

Language of assessment

Assessment of this specification will be in English only. Assessment materials will be published in English only and all work submitted for examination must be in English only.


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Other information

Guided Learning Hours (GLH)

Guided Learning Hours: the number of teacher-led contact hours required to support student achievement for a qualification.

For the Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) we recommend 140–160 GLH.

Centres should ensure students have additional time for self-study and preparation for the final examination, which is in addition to the GLH stated above.

Student recruitment

Pearson follows the JCQ policy concerning recruitment to our qualifications in that:

● they must be available to anyone who is capable of reaching the required standard

● they must be free from barriers that restrict access and progression

● Equal opportunities exist for all students.

Prior learning and other requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification. However, it is recommended that candidates achieve the Pearson LCCI Level 2 Certificate in Marketing (VRQ) qualification to supplement and extend their understanding of how businesses relate to, and interact with their customers.

Students may be studying in a local language but the assessment will be in English. Pearson recommends that students have a minimum level of English equivalent to the LCCI Level 2 English for Business or JETSET 4 - (Council of Europe B1/Threshold) to meet the communication requirements for this qualification.


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Progression

Students may progress to relevant qualifications in the level above; alternatively the qualification can support progression to employment.

Using appropriate internal processes, centres must ensure they choose the most appropriate qualification level for their students’ needs.

Codes

The subject code for Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) is: ASE20074. The subject code is used by centres to enter students for a qualification.


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Support, training and resources

Training

Pearson offers support and training to teachers on standard of delivery and preparing students to meet the assessment requirements.

Specifications, sample assessment materials and teacher support materials

The Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) sample assessment materials can be downloaded from our website.

To find a list of all the support documents available please visit our website: qualifications.pearson.com

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July 2017 For more information on Pearson and LCCI qualifications please visit our website: qualifications.pearson.com Pearson Education Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 872828 Registered Office: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL. VAT Reg No GB 278 537121

Documents

Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business … · in Business Principles and Practice (VRQ) (ASE20074) ... Pearson LCCI Level 3 Certificate in Business Principles and Practice